This Blog contains Wildlife and Bird Photos from Walks, Safaris, Birding Trips and Vacations. Most of the pictures have been taken with my Nikon P900 and P950X cameras. On the right of the page are labels for each species of Bird/Animal etc. Click on a label to show all of the photos taken for that species. Information for each species is from Wikipedia. Just click on any image for a large picture.
TOTAL PAGEVIEWS
TRANSLATE
Tuesday, 6 March 2018
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - MALAYAN CRESTLESS FIREBACK (Lophura erythrophthalma)
The Malayan crestless fireback or Malay crestless fireback (Lophura erythrophthalma) is a member of the Phasianidae. It was previously known as the crestless fireback when the two species were lumped together. The Malayan crestless fireback is found in the Malay peninsula and Sumatra.
Male crestless firebacks are about 38 cm (15 in) in length and females slightly smaller. The face has bare red skin, the bill is greenish in males and black in females, there is no crest, the legs are bluish-grey, with long spurs in males and short spurs in females. The tail is short and either rounded, or the central feathers are shorter than the outer ones. The male has purplish-black plumage, with white vermiculation on the mantle and back, the wings and the side of the breast. The rump is bright chestnut and the upper tail coverts are purple with maroon margins. The tail feathers are cinnamon with black bases. The female crestless fireback is almost completely black with a blue or green gloss and was for some time considered to be a separate species. The head is brownish, paling to nearly white on the throat. Juveniles resemble females but have pale-edged feathers, and young males develop chestnut rumps quite soon. The female is very similar in appearance to the male Salvadori's pheasant (Lophura inornata ) which is endemic to Sumatra, but that species tends to inhabit forests at higher altitudes.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - JAVAN MYNA (Acridotheres javanicus)
The Javan myna (Acridotheres javanicus), also known as the white-vented myna, is a species of myna. It is a member of the starling family. It is native to Bali and Java. It has been introduced to other Asian countries, and as far away as Puerto Rico.
The Javan myna is sometimes included in the great myna (Acridotheres grandis) or the jungle myna (A. fuscus). The International Ornithologists' Union recommends not using the name "white-vented myna" to avoid confusion with the Pale-bellied Myna A. cinereus.
The Javan myna is mainly black. The wings are brownish-black, and the primaries have white bases, displayed in flight as a striking white wing bar, along with a white tail bar. The undertail-coverts are white. There is a short crest on the forehead. Its beak, legs and feet are yellow. The eyes are lemon-yellow. The immature is browner. Its length is 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in). Its weight is about 100 g (3.5 oz).
The Javan myna is native to Bali and Java, and has been introduced to southeastern Thailand, southern Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, the Lesser Sundas, Taiwan, Puerto Rico, Japan and Nepal. It is found in cities and cultivated areas.
The Javan myna is omnivorous and eats seeds, fruit, nectar, insects and human waste. It is often found in large groups. Its voice is similar to that of the common myna. It builds its nest in holes. The eggs are bluish-glaucous. Javan mynas are bold and not very afraid of humans. Javan mynas are kept in cages in Malaysia and Indonesia. The birds scavenge in groups, minimum two but usually three or more, with all except one feeding and one usually at a vantage point keeping a look out. If the bird that is keeping watch sees anything that might pose a threat, it alarms the group members with a high pitch tweet and they all flee the area swiftly. If one of them is separated, they would tend to tweet to attract other mynas of their kind to come over.
Monday, 5 March 2018
4-12-2015 SINGAPORE - YELLOW VENTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus goiavier)
The yellow-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier), or eastern yellow-vented bulbul, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in southeastern Asia from Indochina to the Philippines. It is found in a wide variety of open habitats but not the deep forest. It is one of the most common birds in cultivated areas. They appear to be nomadic and roam from place to place regularly.
The yellow-vented bulbul was originally classified in the genus Muscicapa.
The yellow-vented bulbul builds a well-camouflaged but fragile, loose, deep, cup-shaped circular nest from grass, leaves, roots, vine stems, and twigs. The nest is untidy on the outside, but neatly lined with plant fibers. It may be built in a wide range of places from low bushes to high trees. This is a species adapted to humans and may even nest in gardens. The yellow-vented bulbul lays 2–5 eggs from February to June.
The yellow-vented bulbul eats berries and small fruits. They also sip nectar, nibble on young shoots, and consume some insects.
3-12-2018 JURONG, SINGAPORE - STRIATED HERON (Butorides striata)
The striated heron (Butorides striata) also known as mangrove heron, little green heron or green-backed heron, is a small heron, about 44 cm tall. Striated herons are mostly sedentary and noted for some interesting behavioral traits. Their breeding habitat is small wetlands in the Old World tropics from west Africa to Japan and Australia, and in South America and the Caribbean. Vagrants have been recorded on Oceanic islands, such as Chuuk and Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marianas and Palau; the bird recorded on Yap on February 25, 1991, was from a continental Asian rather than from a Melanesian population, while the origin of the bird seen on Palau on May 3, 2005 was not clear.
The striated heron is 35–48 cm (14–19 in) in length, weighs 130–250 g (4.6–8.8 oz) and has a wing-span of 52–60 cm (20–24 in). The sexes are alike. The plumage is vary variable, even sometimes within the same race. Adults have a blue-grey back and wings, white underparts, a black cap, a dark line extends from the bill to under the eye and short yellow legs. Juveniles are browner above and streaked below.
These birds stand still at the water's edge and wait to ambush prey, but are easier to see than many small heron species. They mainly eat small fish, frogs and aquatic insects. They sometimes use bait, dropping a feather or leaf carefully on the water surface and picking fish that come to investigate.
The nest is a platform of sticks measuring between 20–40 cm long and 0.5–5 mm thick. The entire nest measures some 40–50 cm wide and 8–10 cm high outside, with an inner depression 20 cm wide and 4–5 cm deep. It is usually built in shrubs or trees but sometimes in sheltered locations on the ground, and often near water. The clutch is 2–5 eggs, which are pale blue and measure around 36 by 28 mm.
An adult bird was once observed in a peculiar and mysterious behavior: while on the nest, it would grab a stick in its bill and make a rapid back-and-forth motion with the head, like a sewing machine's needle. The significance of this behavior is completely unknown: While such movements occur in many other nesting birds where they seem to compact the nest, move the eggs, or dislodge parasites, neither seems to have been the case in this particular striated heron.
Young birds will give a display when they feel threatened, by stretching out their necks and pointing the bill skywards. How far this would deter predators is not known.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - WHITE FACED WHISTLING DUCK (Dendrocygna viduata)
The white-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata) is a whistling duck that breeds in sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America.
This species is gregarious, and at favoured sites, the flocks of a thousand or more birds arriving at dawn are an impressive sight. As the name implies, these are noisy birds with a clear three-note whistling call.
The white-faced whistling duck was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Anas viduata. He specified the type locality as Cartagena in Colombia. The white-faced whistling duck is now one of eight species placed in the genus Dendrocygna that was introduced in 1837 by the English naturalist William Swainson. The species is considered as monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek dendron meaning "tree" with the genus name Cygnus Bechstein, 1803, meaning "swan" in Latin. The specific epithet viduata is Latin meaning "widowed" or "in mourning".
The white-faced whistling duck has a long grey bill, a long head, and longish legs. It has a black neck and head, and a distinctive white face that gives it its name, though the amount of white color visible has regional variations among the species. For example, the white-faced whistling ducks with more black coloration are commonly found in western Africa where rainfall supersedes the dry season. The back and wings are dark brown to black, and the underparts are black with a fine white barring on the flanks. The neck is chestnut. Males and females have similar plumage. Juveniles are similar in color to adults but have a much less contrasted head pattern.
The white-faced whistling duck has a peculiar disjunctive distribution, occurring in Africa and South America. It has been suggested that they may have been transported to new locations worldwide by humans. The habitat is still freshwater lakes or reservoirs, with plentiful vegetation, where this duck feeds on seeds and other plant food.
Because of its large range, there are many common names for the white-faced whistling duck, including "irere" and "guiriri".
This is an abundant species. It is largely resident, apart from local movements which can be 100 km or more.
The nest site is a depression in the ground or in reed beds. The clutch is 6 to 12 eggs which are incubated by both sexes. The eggs hatch after 26 to 28 days. Both sexes attend the ducklings and usually keep them hidden in reeds. The chicks have dark down above and yellow down below. They fledge after two months.
4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - GOLDEN BREASTED STARLING (Lamprotornis regius)
The golden-breasted starling (Lamprotornis regius ), also known as royal starling, is a medium-sized passerine in the starling family.
Lamprotornis regius can reach a body length of about 35 cm (14 in). The adult has a metallic green head and upper back, bright golden yellow breast and belly, dark bill and legs, white iris and metallic violet blue on wings, back, neck and its long tail feathers. Both sexes are similar. The young are duller than the adult.
The golden-breasted starling has a very large range. It is distributed in Northeastern Africa, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and northern Tanzania. These birds inhabit the grassland, savannah, the thickets of acacias, dry-thorn forests and shrubland.
In contrast to other brilliant starlings, which feed mainly on fruits, their diet consists mainly of insects and termites. Adult birds catch insects in flight and dig up termite mounds to find prey. Snails, spiders, crustaceans, or small vertebrates, such as lizards, sometimes integrates the diet.
The golden-breasted starling molts once a year, after the breeding season. These birds are monogamous. The female usually lays between three and five pale green eggs with red speckles. It nests in tree holes, usually in tree holes that woodpeckers have left. The nest is made from leaves, roots and other vegetation. Entire family groups cooperate in raising young by gathering food and nesting materials.
4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - WHITE HEADED BUFFALO WEAVER (Dinemellia dinemelli)
The white-headed buffalo weaver or white-faced buffalo-weaver (Dinemellia dinemelli) is a species of passerine bird in the family Ploceidae native to East Africa. The buffalo part of its name derives from its habit of following the African buffalo, feeding on disturbed insects. Two subspecies are recognized.
The white-headed buffalo weaver was first described by the German naturalist Eduard Rüppell in 1845.
The white-headed buffalo weaver is 170 to 190 mm (6.7–7.5 in) in length and 57 to 85 g (2.0–3.0 oz) in weight. In addition to its white head and underparts, the white-headed buffalo weaver has a vividly orange-red rump and undertail coverts. Its thighs are dark brown. Narrow white bands can be found on the wings especially when stretch his wings sideways. Both sexes are similar in plumage and hard to differentiate. The bill is conical and black. D. d. dinemelli has a brown tail, whereas D. d. boehmi has a black tail.
The white-headed buffalo weaver is native to the African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. It prefers habitats such as savanna, and shrublands, but especially dry brush and acacia thickets.
Like most weavers, it is a gregarious bird which forages on the ground for insects, especially beetles and butterflies, fruits, and seeds, often in company with starlings. Foraging is often done in groups of 3–6 birds. It has various calls and the sound is sometimes parrot-like: “skwieeer”, “kiiyerr”, a ringing and repetitious “tew”. In addition, variable sounds such as chuckles and whistles can be heard at breeding and roosting sites. The sounds are slow and drawn out. They also make trills: “tsu-weely-weely-wair”. They often perch in trees and hang upside-down and can be very noisy. Breeding and roosting is done in groups and they can be defensive against intruders, usually by making noise. Altercations are rarely fatal and usually vocal. Males display to females by spreading their wings to show their white wing-patches and red-orange tail-coverts.
Breeding pairs are monogamous and nests are built together. The breeding season is related to rainfall and varies according to local conditions. Nest materials are pushed together, not interwoven, to form an oval 570 millimetres (22 in) wide. A short entrance tube opens downwards and is about 2 to 4 metres (6.6–13.1 ft) above the ground. Soft materials line the inner portions of the nest, which usually has several rooms, with defensive thorny branches on the outside. A large tree will have several of their nests, which other birds, such as the African pygmy-falcon, are known to use instead of building their own. The female incubates 3–5 greyish to pale blue eggs with red, brown and olive markings for 11–14 days. Both parents feed the chicks.
5-3-2018 PUCOL, VALENCIA - REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus) (FEMALE)
The common reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. The genus name Emberiza is from Old German Embritz, a bunting. The specific schoeniclus is from Ancient Greek skhoiniklos, a now unknown waterside bird.
It breeds across Europe and much of the Palearctic. Most birds migrate south in winter, but those in the milder south and west of the range are resident. It is common in reedbeds and also breeds in drier open areas such as moorland and cultivation. For example, it is a component of the purple moor grass and rush pastures, a type of Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in the UK. It occurs on poorly drained neutral and acidic soils of the lowlands and upland fringe.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SUN CONURE (Aratinga solstitialis)
One thing that potential Sun Conure owners should realize is that these birds are extremely loud, and are not a good choice for those who live in apartments. They possess an ear-piercing scream that they will emit throughout the day, more notably at sunrise and sunset. Their contact call can carry for miles and helps them locate each other in the wild while out foraging for food during the day. In captivity, however, this level of noise can cause problems for those who live in close proximity to their neighbors.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - PACIFIC PARROTLET (Forpus coelestis)
The Pacific parrotlet (Forpus coelestis), also known as Lesson's parrotlet, or the celestial parrotlet, is a species of small parrot in the family Psittacidae.
The Pacific parrotlet (Forpus coelestis) is a small green parrot originating from South America. A typical specimen is 11–14 centimetres (4.3–5.5 in) long and typically weighs 30 grams or more. Wild Pacific parrotlets are green with a dusty grey cast over the body, a bright green mask and a pinkish beak. Legs and feet are pinkish-grey. Pacific parrotlets are sexually dimorphic: males possess shades of blue on their wings. Blue can vary in intensity from a bright cobalt blue to a pale, almost lavender shade of blue on American birds; the blue is almost non-existent on marbled birds, only being visible on the underside of the wing right on the joint. Male parrotlets also have blue streaks behind the eyes which is often referred to as "eyeshadow;" as well as blue rumps. Female parrotlets have no blue on the wings whatsoever but can have blue eye streaks as well as a blue rump.
Parrotlets are often referred to as pocket parrots because of their size; but they are known for their larger-than-life personalities and feisty attitudes. They are solitary birds in captivity due to their aggressive behavior towards other birds when confined, so it is not suggested to house one with conspecifics unless ample space is available. Pet parrotlets should never be kept with other bird species due to the likelihood of aggression.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - YELLOW HOODED BLACKBIRD (FEMALE) (Chrysomus icterocephalus)
The yellow-hooded blackbird (Chrysomus icterocephalus ) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in grassy and brush areas near water in northern South America, and is generally fairly common. It is sexually dimorphic, and the genders resemble the respective genders of the larger yellow-headed blackbird of North America, though the male yellow-hooded blackbird lacks white in the wings.
In 2007, one was found in the Darien Lowlands of Panama. This was a rare vagrant, most likely from Colombia.
Marshes (permanent or seasonal) with emergent aquatic plants such as cat-tails (Typha), bulrushes (Schoenoplectus), Thalia and similar; along R Amazon and main tributaries found mostly in várzea grasslands with grasses Paspalum and Echinochloa. Also humid savannas and mangroves, and agricultural land; particularly active in abandoned rice fields. Forages in ploughed fields. Lowlands to 1000 m (nominate race); race bogotensis to 2600 m.
Largely resident. Local movements reported from areas with strongly marked dry season, such as Venezuelan llanos. Nominate race recorded as accidental in Netherlands Antilles.
4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SUN CONURE (Aratinga solstitialis)
Sunday, 4 March 2018
4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - PAINTED STORK (Mycteria leucocephala)
The typical clutch varies from one to five eggs with early breeders having larger clutches. The incubation period is about a month while the fledging period is nearly two months. There is occasional predation of chicks by migrant Aquila eagles and Pallas's fish eagle. During the mid-day heat, adults will stand at the nest with wings outstretched to shade the chicks. To feed chicks, adults regurgitate fish that they have caught and these are typically smaller than 20 cm (7.9 in) long. Young chicks, when threatened, disgorge food and feign death by crumpling to the nest floor. The daily requirement for chicks has been estimated to be 500–600 grams (18–21 oz) made up of about 9 fish fed in two sessions. Nest survival (measured as daily nest survival) is higher for nests initiated early in the monsoon season, lower with decreasing temperature, and higher at larger colonies. The bare red skin on the head is developed when reaching breeding maturity and involves the loss of feathers and the deposition of lipids under the skin. Birds in captivity have been known to live for as long as 28 years. Birds raised as chicks have been known to be tame and docile, even responding to their names when called.
A bird louse, Ardeicola tantali was described on the basis of a specimen obtained from this species as also a subcutaneous mite, Neottialges kutzeri, of the family Hypoderidae.
Painted storks are widespread throughout the Indian subcontinent. Populations extend from Sri Lanka to Indochina and southern China. Painted storks are predominately non-migratory and most make only local movements. However some birds have been known to migrate to west Burma.
Painted storks are found within a variety of habitats. They are often restricted to shallow freshwater wetlands and marshes. Painted storks have also been observed in flooded agricultural fields and seepage ponds in the Delhi region of India.
This species of stork stands 93 to 102 cm tall and weighs between 2 to 5 kg. Painted storks are the only storks within the genus Mycteria that has a black pectoral band. This species has a long, heavy yellow bill and a yellow face. They display white plumage with a rose color near the tail feathers. Non-breeding plumage is usually less vibrant than breeding plumage. Juveniles are pale brown lacking a pectoral band. Males and females are not sexually dimorphic however, male painted storks tend to be slightly larger than female storks. Body length in this species is used as an indicator of sex.
4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - PAINTED STORK (Mycteria leucocephala)
The painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala ) is a large wader in the stork family. It is found in the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in the Indian Subcontinent and extending into Southeast Asia. Their distinctive pink tertial feathers of the adults give them their name. They forage in flocks in shallow waters along rivers or lakes. They immerse their half open beaks in water and sweep them from side to side and snap up their prey of small fish that are sensed by touch. As they wade along they also stir the water with their feet to flush hiding fish. They nest colonially in trees, often along with other waterbirds. The only sounds they produce are weak moans or bill clattering at the nest. They are not migratory and only make short distance movements in some parts of their range in response to changes in weather or food availability or for breeding. Like other storks, they are often seen soaring on thermals.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - HELMETED GUINEA FOWL (Numida meleagris)
The helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) is the best known of the guineafowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus Numida. It is native to Africa, mainly south of the Sahara, and has been widely introduced, as a domesticated species, into the West Indies, North America, Colombia, Brazil, Australia and Europe.
The helmeted guineafowl is a large, 53 to 58 cm (21 to 23 in) bird with a round body and small head. They weigh about 1.3 kg (2.9 lb). The body plumage is gray-black speckled with white. Like other guineafowl, this species has an unfeathered head, which in this species is decorated with a dull yellow or reddish bony knob, and bare skin with red, blue, or black hues. The wings are short and rounded, and the tail is likewise short. Various subspecies are proposed, differences in appearance being mostly a large variation in shape, size, and colour of the casque and facial wattles.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - YELLOW RUMPED CACIQUE (Cassiculus melanicterus)
The yellow-rumped cacique (Cacicus cela) is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds in much of northern South America from Panama and Trinidad south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil. However, they have been sighted as far north as Nayarit state in Mexico.
The song of the male yellow-rumped cacique is a brilliant mixture of fluting notes with cackles, wheezes and sometimes mimicry. There are also many varied calls, and an active colony can be heard from a considerable distance.
The yellow-rumped cacique is a bird associated with open woodland or cultivation with large trees.
It is a colonial breeder, with up to 100 bag-shaped nests in a tree, which usually also contains an active wasp nest. The females build the nests, incubate, and care for the young. Each nest is 30–45 cm long and widens at the base, and is suspended from the end of a branch. Females compete for the best sites near the protection of the wasp nest. The normal clutch is two dark-blotched pale blue or white eggs. Females begin incubating after laying the second egg; hatching occurs after 13 or 14 days. The young fledge in 34 to 40 days, usually only one per nest.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - WESTERN CROWNED PIGEON (Goura cristata)
The western crowned pigeon (Goura cristata), also known as the common crowned pigeon or blue crowned pigeon, is a large, blue-grey pigeon with blue lacy crests over the head and dark blue mask feathers around its eyes. Both sexes are almost similar but males are often larger than females. It is on average 70 cm (28 in) long and weighs 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs).
Along with its close and very similar-looking relatives the Victoria crowned pigeon, Sclater's crowned pigeon, and Scheepmaker's crowned pigeon, it is one of the largest members of the pigeon family. The western crowned pigeon is found in and is endemic to the lowland rainforests of northwestern New Guinea; the other species of crowned pigeon inhabit different regions of the island. The diet consists mainly of fruits and seeds.
Hunted for food and its plumes, it remains common only in remote areas. Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the western crowned pigeon is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES.
The western crowned pigeon was first described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and given the binomial name Columba cristata. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that the western crowned pigeon was most closely related to Sclater's crowned pigeon (Goura sclaterii).
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - EASTERN CRESTED GUINEAFOWL (Guttera pucherani ssp. pucherani)
The crested guineafowl (Guttera sp.) are a group of three species and members of the Numididae, the guineafowl bird family. They are found in open forest, woodland and forest-savanna mosaics in sub-Saharan Africa.
They have a total length around 50 cm (20 in) and weigh 721–1,543 g (1.590–3.402 lb).[1] The plumage is overall blackish with dense white spots. They have distinctive black crests on the top of their heads, the form of which varies from small curly feathers to down depending upon subspecies, and which easily separates them from all other species of guineafowl, except the plumed guineafowl. The names "crested" and "plumed" are often misapplied across the species.
They are monogamous with probable strong and long-lasting pair bonds. Courtship feeding is common, the author having seen a captive male run 5–10 m to the hen to present some particular morsel. The nest is a well-hidden scrape in long grass or under a bush; eggs vary from nearly white to buff and a clutch is usually around four or five.
G. p. edouardi in Somkhanda Game Reserve, eastern South Africa
The intraspecific taxonomy of the crested guineafowl has been subject to considerable debate, but most recent authorities accept five subspecies across three species. (e.g. I. Martinez in Handbook of the Birds of the World [HBW], 1994). Visual differences between the subspecies, in addition to the form of the crest, are in the colour and position of any patches on the otherwise grey-blue neck and face. Such patches vary from almost white to yellow, to red. The pucherani species is found in East Africa from Somalia to Tanzania, and is distinctive with a grey-blue neck and extensive red to the face. The southern crested guineafowl, in which case the remaining subspecies, which are found in southern, central, and west Africa under the scientific name Guttera edouardi. They have a bluish face and neck, though the nape is very pale greyish (almost white) in some subspecies and the throat is red in others. In 2022, Clements and the IUCN have split the species into three, with the nominate being called eastern crested guineafowl, subspecies sclateri and verreauxi being called western crested guineafowl, and edouardi and Barbara being called southern crested guineafowl. In 2023, the IOCfollowed suit.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - WHITE CROWNED ROBIN CHAT (Cossypha albicapillus)
Although widespread, very little is known about the White-crowned Robin Chat. Neither population nor breeding information information is available. Taxonomically, robin chats were once thought to belong to the Thrush family. However recent studies have shown that they are more closely related to the Old World flycatchers.
Widespread this species inhabit eleven countries in the northern part of Africa. Although there have been no formal population studies the white-crowned robin chat is quite common throughout its range.
A large and colorful robin-chat with a black face mask that continues onto the chin. The color of the crown is pure white in the far western part of the range, and white with black markings elsewhere. A shy bird of dense thickets, gardens, and forest, often along rivers and streams. Similar to Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, but larger, usually with black markings in the white crown, and with a black rather than orange chin. Usually detected by song, a fast and complex mix of musical whistles.
26-11-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Platalea ajaja)
The flamboyant Roseate Spoonbill looks like it came straight out of a Dr. Seuss book with its bright pink feathers, red eye staring out from a partly bald head, and giant spoon-shaped bill. Groups sweep their spoonbills through shallow fresh or salt waters snapping up crustaceans and fish. They fly with necks outstretched, to and from foraging and nesting areas along the coastal southeastern U.S., and south to South America. These social birds nest and roost in trees and shrubs with other large wading birds.
The Roseate Spoonbill is 1 of 6 species of spoonbills in the world and the only one found in the Americas. The other 5 spoonbills (Eurasian, Royal, African, Black-faced, and Yellow-billed) occur in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia.
As humans, we are all too familiar with hair loss as we get older. Roseate Spoonbills, it turns out, are familiar with balding too, but instead of losing hair they lose feathers from the top of their head as they get older.
Roseate Spoonbill chicks don't have a spoon-shaped bill immediately after hatching. When they are 9 days old the bill starts to flatten, by 16 days it starts to look a bit more spoonlike, and by 39 days it is nearly full size.
3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. The bird is also known as the American mourning dove, the rain dove, the chueybird, colloquially as the turtle dove, and it was once known as the Carolina pigeon and Carolina turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread North American birds and a popular gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years) shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure is due to its prolific breeding; in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods of two young each in a single year. The wings make an unusual whistling sound upon take-off and landing, a form of sonation. The bird is a strong flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph).
Mourning doves are light gray and brown and generally muted in color. Males and females are similar in appearance. The species is generally monogamous, with two squabs (young) per brood. Both parents incubate and care for the young. Mourning doves eat almost exclusively seeds, but the young are fed crop milk by their parents.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)